Secrets
by Avery Mac
Summary: Everyone has their deep, dark secrets they never want anyone to know, right? While on a simple mission to establish trade relations, Major Evan Lorne’s secret begins to come out, the wall he’s built around himself begins to crumble...


**Summary: **Everyone has their deep, dark secrets they never want anyone to know, right? While on a simple mission to establish trade relations, Major Evan Lorne's secret begins to come out, the wall he's built around himself begins to crumble.

**Warnings: **Violence, swearing, mentions of abuse. Set late season two, early season three. No spoilers whatsoever.

**Authors Note: **My friend had this idea, and it's based off her own experiences growing up. I hope I did the story justice, I really do.

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Stargate Atlantis, I wouldn't have such a crappy guitar.

**One.**

"Is he going to be alright?" Dr Elizabeth Weir asked her chief medical officer, Carson Beckett.

Major Evan Lorne had been shot with some sort of tranquillizer off-world, and Elizabeth wanted to make sure that the Major wouldn't have a nasty reaction to whatever was in it.

Carson nodded. "Oh aye, he'll be fine. He'll sleep off the tranquilizer, and his wrist is only lightly sprained. But,"

The Scotsman pointed to the x-ray of Evan's left hand. "This is rather interesting."

Elizabeth saw nothing but an x-ray of a hand, and told Carson exactly that.

"See this?" Carson asked, pointing to the fingers. "These are signs all these fingers have been broken at one stage."

"He's a military officer Carson. They all get broken bones in their line of work." Elizabeth said, slightly confused. How was that interesting?

"Yes, I know." Carson nodded. "But this is different. I did an x-ray of his right hand just to make sure, but every one of his fingers were broken in the exact same place, just above the second knuckle. And from the looks of it, it happened a few times."

Elizabeth looked at Carson. She knew exactly what he was thinking.

"I'm sure there's an explanation for it Carson. Call me when Major Lorne is ready to debrief."

Carson nodded, and turned back to his x-rays.

//\\

"Have you ever broken your fingers?" Carson asked, finishing up his check on the newly awakened Major.

Evan looked a little confused. "Um. Yeah."

"All at once?"

As Carson pretended to write something down, he noticed the nervous look on Evan's face.

"N-no." He answered. "Am I free to go Doc?"

Carson nodded. "Aye lad. Take care of that wrist now. It might be a light sprain, but you could do some damage if you don't be careful."

Evan nodded. "Thanks Doc."

//\\

It had been about a week since Evan had been on a mission, and he was itching to get off-world. He was still wearing a wrist support, but Carson had given him the OK to go off world.

Of course, he let him go with a warning of if Evan got into any trouble, he'd probably break it.

"Morning Major." The scientist on his team, Dr David Parrish greeted, joining the rest of the team in the 'gate room. David had just returned from six weeks leave on Earth, and the skinny scientist was looking all the better for it.

That reminded Evan his leave was due soon..

"Morning Doc." Evan smiled. "Ready to go?"

David nodded. "It's been a while since I was off world."

"Its gonna be boring though." Lieutenant Laura Cadman sighed, her fingers drumming against her P-90.

"Really? Are you physic now or something?" Evan asked cheekily.

"Always have been sir." Laura grinned. "Plus, it don't take a genius to know that trading missions are always mind-numbingly boring."

"That's unless you get us run out of the place 'cause of your fantastic diplomatic skills." Lieutenant Paul Reed grinned.

"Excuse you! My diplomatic skills are **far **better then yours!" Laura argued.

"You have got us run out of twelve villages since we started working together." David pointed out as the 'gate began to dial.

"So?" Laura shrugged, tucking a piece of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear. "I doubt that's half as much as A-1 have clocked up the past few years."

"Yeah, but that's A-1. That's like saying SG-3 is the exact same as SG-1." Paul said as the final chevron locked into place.

"We are not bringing SG-1 into this Reed!" Laura said. "They're in a league of their own."

"Plus," Evan grinned, the wormhole _ka-whooshing _outwards. "You use them in every argument."

"I do not!" Paul said defensively.

"Do too." Evan retorted.

"You're good to go Major." Chuck called from the control centre.

Evan nodded, gave Elizabeth a quick wave and he and his team stepped through the blue puddle of the stargate.

"Ah." Laura said, taking a deep breath of fresh air as they stepped through the 'gate. "That's some good stuff."

"Its air Cadman." Paul snorted. "it's the same in every galaxy."

Laura gave him a dirty look. "Go f-"

Evan raised a hand to shut them up when he heard a rustle in the bushes.

"Hello?" He called out. "Is there someone out there?"

There was silence.

"Its okay." Evan continued. "We wont hurt you."

As he said that, a girl of about thirteen stepped out of the greenery.

"But you have weapons." She said, her eyes as wide as a bush baby's. She had long dirty blonde hair, and the skin of someone who spent a good few hours out on the sun every day.

She also had a bad black eye, and one arm was hanging limply by her side. She must have been hurt in an accident or something.

Evan let his P-90 go. "We're just here to trade. My names Evan."

"I'm Saria." She answered quietly.

"Its nice to meet you Saria." Evan smiled. "This is Laura, David and Paul." He introduced, pointing at each member of his team as he said their names.

They all murmured their hello's.

"Can you take us to your village, so we can speak to someone in charge?" Evan asked gently.

Saria nodded, and gestured with her left hand for them to follow her, the right one not moving.

"See?" Laura whispered to Paul. "We're still here."

"Thanks only cause the Major's good with kids." Paul replied. "Its early days yet."

//\\\

They arrived in the village to the usual stares any Atlantis team got when arriving in a new place.

Their weapons, uniforms, and even the way they talked was strange to people. One reason they tried to not use weird Earth sayings off-world.

There was a rumour floating around that A-11 said 'didn't sweat it' off world and got themselves run off the planet by natives who thought they were insulting their cleanliness.

"Who are you?" A silver haired man demanded, their young guide rushing off as soon as they arrived in the town.

"We're traders." Evan explained.

"You wish to trade?" The man asked, his voice softening.

Evan nodded. "Yessir. Are you the person we should talk to about setting up trade relations?"

The man nodded. "I am a member of the council, yes. Come with me."

They followed the man into a grand building, and the day followed in the same way as trade missions always do- they talked, and talked, and talked, until eventually they had a deal to bring back to Elizabeth for inspection.

Darkness was beginning to fall as they were about to leave the village with another guide, Tiran.

Just before they left for the tree line, Evan noticed their original guide standing outside a house, sobbing.

A man came from inside, and started to scream at the girl, and swung at her.

Evan saw red. He moved to march up the road when he felt an arm on either side of him.

"Sir." Laura said warningly. "Lets go."

Evan wrenched himself from her grip, and walked to the 'gate with long, angry strides.

He punched in the gate address, and snapped out the order for Paul to enter his IDC.

He was the first through the 'gate, and Elizabeth was standing with Carson, waiting for them.

Before anyone could start to talk about the trade mission, Evan spoke, and told Elizabeth about the little girl, and the man hitting her.

"Major, we can't do anything." Elizabeth said, a little shocked at the usually quiet Major's outburst.

"But we have to help her Dr Weir!" Evan said loudly, facing Elizabeth, and Carson.

"Major, we don't get involved in things like this." Elizabeth began.

"He's _abusing _her." Evan said. By now, everyone was looking at them.

"Major, we'll continue this discussion in my office." Elizabeth said, not wanting to make a scene.

Evan was wild eyed, and he looked really upset. "But Dr-"

"Now Major."

**TBC?**


End file.
